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Healthcare

How to become a Respiratory Therapist

Treats patients with breathing problems, from asthma to ventilator care in an intensive-care unit. From no experience: every step, how long it takes, and the credential it earns.

Time to get there
2 years
Typical pay
$62k–$82k
Starting from
No experience

Pay is an estimate of typical US entry-level pay for this role and varies by state, employer and shift. The timeline assumes you are starting from no experience and includes any licence or programme legally required, not just course length.

Commonly asked for

  • Associate degree from a CoARC-accredited program required, a bachelor's increasingly preferred
  • No prior healthcare experience required to enrol
  • State licence required in nearly every state
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The route

  1. Finish a CoARC-accredited program

    Associate degree minimum; some employers now prefer a bachelor's.

  2. Pass the TMC exam

    Score high enough and you qualify to sit the clinical simulation for RRT.

    CRT, then RRT (NBRC)

    Get it from National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC)

  3. License with your state

    Required in almost every state before you touch a ventilator.

  4. Destination

    Respiratory Therapist

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